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How to Sleep

theatlantic.com

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Re: How to Sleep

#181

Post by Cthulhu_ »

graeme wrote: post #173
hsuresh wrote: post #156

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I used to be like this. And the problem was, because there was no pattern to my sleep, I found out extremely difficult to sleep, even when I wanted to. A few things helped me. First, I started logging my sleep. It helped me analyze how much sleep I was really getting. Second, this sounds simplistic, but I first fixed the waking time. Irrespective of the time I sleep, I started waking up at the exact same time everyda…

For the fixed wakeup time: 1. What do you do if in a situation where you'll get a low amount of sleep. Nap mid day? 2. What about social stuff? I'd love to get up at 8 am most days, but then any social event in the evening throws that off. Naps might fix the latter, but I have trouble napping due to onset insomnia. Unless I'm extremelt fatigued.

Skip the naps; take the tiredness as punishment, go to bed at a fixed time. The trick is consistency, and a nap will interrupt said consistency. Usually you can function fine with a few hours less sleep, as long as it's not a regular event.

Re: How to Sleep

#182

Post by tertius »

graeme wrote: post #173
hsuresh wrote: post #156

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I used to be like this. And the problem was, because there was no pattern to my sleep, I found out extremely difficult to sleep, even when I wanted to. A few things helped me. First, I started logging my sleep. It helped me analyze how much sleep I was really getting. Second, this sounds simplistic, but I first fixed the waking time. Irrespective of the time I sleep, I started waking up at the exact same time everyda…

For the fixed wakeup time: 1. What do you do if in a situation where you'll get a low amount of sleep. Nap mid day? 2. What about social stuff? I'd love to get up at 8 am most days, but then any social event in the evening throws that off. Naps might fix the latter, but I have trouble napping due to onset insomnia. Unless I'm extremelt fatigued.

Pick a time and stick to it. Doesn't matter how little sleep you get.

It also helps to have a meal as soon as you get up. And meal is anything with calories in it. I.e. a cabbage leaf is fine.

This helps reset your circadian rhythm (great for jetlag too).

Re: How to Sleep

#183

Post by Cthulhu_ »

hawski wrote: post #154
sleepeejoe wrote: post #108

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Save the game! I had the same issue because I was terrified of forgetting things...so I've started taking notes and reminders for the following day(s) in order to resume the mental processes. Even a to-do list using todoist would free you some CPU cycles and will make you sleep better.

But the game plays further in my head even after I shutdown the computer or write down the last note. I often find myself above a piece of paper that I wanted to scribble on, but my mind jumped and run around much faster than I could even start to write anything.

Take up less things at once, or, try and focus on one thing, preferably finishing it at the end of the work day. Divide your tasks up into smaller, achievable subtasks, check it off, save the rest. It's okay to not do everything, you can't.

Re: How to Sleep

#184

Post by Cthulhu_ »

Rotareti wrote: post #180
castis wrote: post #147

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Also, if iOS, Night Shift: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT207570 Almost everything else, Flux: https://justgetflux.com/

Flux looks interesting, but it doesn't seem to support brightness adjustment. I think it's important to sync the brightness of your monitor with the brightness of its surrounding.

The Macbook and (I'm pretty sure) most modern laptops will also adjust backlight according to environment though.

Re: How to Sleep

#185

Post by annnnd »

therein wrote: post #144
laughfactory wrote: post #131

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is me, too. My wife complains that it's like I'm trying to have two or three lives instead of just the one. But I know I need the sleep I'm not getting, but I have a really hard time, once the kids are finally asleep, just going to bed myself. When everyone but me is asleep it's so peaceful and quiet, and I can read, slay work dragons, learn stuff, or just veg. Unfortunately this usually results in maybe six low…

> When everyone but me is asleep it's so peaceful and quiet, and I can read, slay work dragons, learn stuff, or just veg. Unfortunately this usually results in maybe six low quality hours of sleep. And I pay for it in distractibility, moodiness, not as smart as I am when well rested, etc. ...I actually feel worse much of the time. More tired, speak less clearly, slow thought... It sucks. Are you me?

No, he is me. :)

Re: How to Sleep

#186

Post by rorykoehler »

graeme wrote: post #173
hsuresh wrote: post #156

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I used to be like this. And the problem was, because there was no pattern to my sleep, I found out extremely difficult to sleep, even when I wanted to. A few things helped me. First, I started logging my sleep. It helped me analyze how much sleep I was really getting. Second, this sounds simplistic, but I first fixed the waking time. Irrespective of the time I sleep, I started waking up at the exact same time everyda…

For the fixed wakeup time: 1. What do you do if in a situation where you'll get a low amount of sleep. Nap mid day? 2. What about social stuff? I'd love to get up at 8 am most days, but then any social event in the evening throws that off. Naps might fix the latter, but I have trouble napping due to onset insomnia. Unless I'm extremelt fatigued.

I get to bed at a fixed time. If I haven't had enough sleep then I take a 15 minute coffee nap in the afternoon. Try exercise daily. Disclaimer: I'm a reformed night owl.

Re: How to Sleep

#187

Post by Rotareti »

Cthulhu_ wrote: post #184
Rotareti wrote: post #180

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Flux looks interesting, but it doesn't seem to support brightness adjustment. I think it's important to sync the brightness of your monitor with the brightness of its surrounding.

The Macbook and (I'm pretty sure) most modern laptops will also adjust backlight according to environment though.

But if you are using a workstation/external monitors you still gonna need it.

Re: How to Sleep

#188

Post by ashark »

Antrikshy wrote: post #90
ashark wrote: post #25

1) no glowing screens at all after the sun goes down. 2) no glowing screens at all after the sun goes down. 3) no glowing screens at all after the sun goes down. 4) very low candle-temperature lighting only after dark. Especially try to keep it out of your direct line of sight. It'll work, but 1-3 are hard .

I mean, what am I supposed to do in my leisure time if I can't look at glowing screens? Just sit around and pretend I'm in the 90s?

Read. Study. Listen to music or radio shows (podcasts). Play music. Board games. Prep food for the next day (pizza dough ought to rest at least overnight, for instance). Tidy and clean so you don't have to do that while the sun's up.

Generally, get tired and go to sleep much earlier because you're not hyper-stimulated late into the night by glowing rectangles.

Re: How to Sleep

#189

Post by tertius »

therein wrote: post #144
laughfactory wrote: post #131

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is me, too. My wife complains that it's like I'm trying to have two or three lives instead of just the one. But I know I need the sleep I'm not getting, but I have a really hard time, once the kids are finally asleep, just going to bed myself. When everyone but me is asleep it's so peaceful and quiet, and I can read, slay work dragons, learn stuff, or just veg. Unfortunately this usually results in maybe six low…

> When everyone but me is asleep it's so peaceful and quiet, and I can read, slay work dragons, learn stuff, or just veg. Unfortunately this usually results in maybe six low quality hours of sleep. And I pay for it in distractibility, moodiness, not as smart as I am when well rested, etc. ...I actually feel worse much of the time. More tired, speak less clearly, slow thought... It sucks. Are you me?

I feel this way about getting up really early. It's a great feeling. And by around 9 I've made a LOT of progress. That feels even better...

Re: How to Sleep

#190

Post by hammock »

Cthulhu_ wrote: post #181
graeme wrote: post #173

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For the fixed wakeup time: 1. What do you do if in a situation where you'll get a low amount of sleep. Nap mid day? 2. What about social stuff? I'd love to get up at 8 am most days, but then any social event in the evening throws that off. Naps might fix the latter, but I have trouble napping due to onset insomnia. Unless I'm extremelt fatigued.

Skip the naps; take the tiredness as punishment, go to bed at a fixed time. The trick is consistency, and a nap will interrupt said consistency. Usually you can function fine with a few hours less sleep, as long as it's not a regular event.

Punishment for having a good time Friday night until 6am, then waking up at 7am your usual time? Seems unreasonable
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